By CHUCK RIDENOUR
Daily Globe Sports Editor
LEWIS CENTER — Shelby’s run through the postseason was halted Friday night as Sunbury Big Walnut thrived on big plays and stout defense en route to a 35-8 regional semifinal victory at Olentangy High School.
Whippet coach Chris Solis said the defense of the 11-1 Golden Eagles set the tone early in the Division III clash — on the first SHS offensive series.
After getting penned deep in their own territory on the opening kickoff, Shelby was driving toward the endzone when Scott Baird’s pass was nabbed by Derek Jones and returned 17 yards.
Before it was over, the red and gray would turn the ball over a season-high five times — three times on fumbles and twice by interceptions.
Three plays later, Big Walnut was on the scoreboard when quarterback Ethan Wetzel got behind the right side of his offensive line before spotting an opening and racing 49 yards for the score with 7:12 on the clock. Andrew Dronsfield booted the first of his five extra-point kicks for a 7-0 bulge.
The Whippets went three-and-out on their next series and Adam Brown’s 19-yard punt into the wind was put in play at 46 of the red and gray.
Corey Wolfe ripped off a 40-yard run before being drug down at the six and from there, Trevor Tutorow covered the final six yards for a 14-0 lead.
SHS had an opportunity to cut the deficit in half, moving from their own 33 to the 19 of Big Walnut when Baird was stripped of the ball 2:10 before the intermission.
“They did a nice job of running to the ball and we didn’t do a good job blocking,” said Solis. “We didn’t control the line of scrimmage on a consistent basis and we gave up big plays defensively that hurt us.”
After being raked for 109 on the first five plays by the Golden Eagles, Shelby settled down in the second quarter. The locals owned a 149-123 edge in yardage and had seven more first downs.
The Whippets continued to battle in the third quarter and advanced 52 yards where they were faced with fourth-and-five from the 25. Baird rolled out to his right looking to throw and with all his receivers blanketed, he took off and was met by a defender one-yard short of a first down at 5:22.
Baird suffered a knee injury on the play and was forced to watch the remainder of the night while on crutches.
The last SHS hopes of a comeback were immediately extinguished on the very next play when Wolfe took the ball and went right. He faked the handoff on a reverse and then raced up the sidelines on a 79-yard touchdown dash for a 21-0 lead at the 5:07 mark.
The Whippets turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes and four seconds of the fourth quarter. Substitute quarterback Chad Coward was intercepted at his own 48 by William Studlien. That would lead to a 35-yard scoring pass from Wetzel to Joe Reed for a 28-0 cushion at the 9:49 mark.
Coward’s difficulties continued on the next series when he mishandled the exchange from center and Big Walnut’s Kalven Baer scooped up the ball and rumbled 30 yards for the score and a 35-0 lead.
A turnover haunted SHS one last time when Brett Thompson fumbled at the 7:56 mark.
Shelby got rid of the doughnut on the scoreboard with the aid of 29-yard punt return by Coward that was followed by a 10-play, 55-yard march.
Twice during the drive, Coward converted on fourth down and his heave into the endzone on fourth-and-five was snagged out of the air by Matt Sommer against two defenders for a touchdown with one second remaining. Coward then barreled across the goal line for the successful two-point conversion.
The final stat sheet showed the Golden Eagles with a 276-269 advantage in total yards. Because of the big-play strikes by the winners, the Whippets owned a 19-8 edge in first downs.
“They made the plays tonight,” said Solis of Big Walnut. “We do what we do and they stopped us tonight with their athletes and speed. They were the better football team tonight.”
Wolfe rambled for 154 yards on 12 carries to lead the Golden Eagles while Thompson chalked up 81 on 18 totes for SHS. Baird exited with 53 yards on 18 attempts.
Kyle Bailey led Shelby, which bows out with a 9-3 record, with seven tackles while Thompson and Coward had six apiece. Bruce Schroeder and Shane Carpenter each registered five stops.
Big Walnut will face Clyde in the regional final next Friday at a site to be determined Sunday afternoon by the Ohio Ohio School Athletic Association.
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